CARY CITIZENS TO SHARE INPUT WITH DOWNTOWN STREETSCAPE ARTIST AT PUBLIC MEETING TONIGHT

CARY, NC – Cary residents are invited to give their opinion on the look of public art designs for the Town’s Downtown Streetscape Project during a Public Meeting tonight with the artist– Elizabeth Conner. Beginning at 7 p.m. at the Page-Walker Arts & History Center, 119 Ambassador Loop, Conner will gather input from citizens as part of her research about Cary to incorporate into the art design. Following Conner’s presentation, citizens may offer their input on the public art design through an open-microphone format.

Also as part of her visit, Conner is meeting with engineers, Town staff, and citizen groups to discuss the overall design. In the coming months, she will develop designs that reflect the dynamics of the Cary community and be part of future streetscape public meetings. The complete streetscape design process is expected to be complete in one year.

“We’re inviting all Cary citizens who are interested in making an impact on the look and feel of their downtown community for years to come out for this opportunity to be heard,” said Public Art Coordinator Denise Dickens. “Through this project, we’re hoping to create a sense of place that fosters a unique, distinctive and memorable destination for visitors while reflecting the energy of Cary.”

Dickens added that for citizens unable to attend the public meeting tonight, there will be two additional public meetings within the next year that will be announced at a later date.

The Town of Cary’s Public Art Advisory Board and a Citizen Advisory Artist Selection Panel identified the artist, Elizabeth Conner, from 60 qualified applicants from across the United States and Canada. Town Council approved the hiring of Elizabeth Conner in February 2007. Conner will work with the engineering firm, Arcadis, to develop designs that will integrate public art throughout the streetscape on selected major streets in downtown Cary. Priority areas for public art as identified in the Streetscape Master Plan include the following:

– Street Furniture: benches, tree guards & grates, lighting, bus shelters
– Traffic Management: paving (crosswalks), sidewalks
– Signage: gateways, way finding elements
– Gathering areas, round-a-bouts, and plazas

The public art funds, totaling $80,000, were appropriated by Town Council in 2006 as part of the design budget for the Streetscape project. The total budget for the entire Streetscape project is estimated at $33 million.

In January 2007, the Town of Cary awarded Arcadis the contract to design the streetscape project that will create a unique identity for downtown Cary by incorporating pedestrian-friendly design elements such as a Town Square, on-street parking, landscaping, and widened sidewalks. The design will embrace the heritage of the area, while creating a desired destination that meets the needs of Cary’s citizens, businesses and visitors. The streetscape project will encompass more than two miles of downtown streets in Cary with construction scheduled to begin in 2008.

For more, call (919) 465-4791 or visit the Downtown Cary Streetscape Plan section of the Town’s Web site at http://www.townofcary.org/depts/dsdept/P&Z/streetscape.htm and click on “Public Art Master Plan”.

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Primary Contacts

Denise Dickens, Public Art Coordinator, (919) 465-4791
April R. Little, Deputy Public Information Officer, (919) 481-5091